Sheet drive and registering apparatus



Oct 15, 1963 w. B. TEMPLETON ETAL 3,107,090

SHEET DRIVE AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed Feb, 2, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheetl '1Q un mmh@ INVENTORS. WILL/AM B.TEMPLETo^/. /g//CHOLAS KONDUR .TR

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Oct. l5, 1953 A w. B. TEMPLETON :TAL 3,107,090 A SHEET DRIVE ANDREGISTERING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. WILLIAM B. TEMP/.EO/V. KONDUR J A TTORNEY.

0d l5, 1963 w. B. TEMPLETON Erm. 3,107,090

SHEET DRIVE AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Fig3.

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g INVENToRs. WILL /A M BTEMPLETON,

NICHOLAS KOA/.DUR J'R;

BYMQM A TTOFNEY.

C- 1En 1963 w. B. TEMPLETON ETAL 3,107,090

SHEET DRIVE AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet4 'D'L 2r. S1; n

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ATTORNEY United States Patent O 11T/bdd@ SHEET ERIVE AND REGISTERHJGAPPARATUS Wiiliam B. Templeton, Northviiie, and Nichoias Kondur, r.,Garden City, Mich., assignors to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 86,707 5 Claims.(Si. 271-55) This invention relates generally to sheet transport andprinting systems and more particularly to a sheet drive and registeringapparams therefor.

In many typs of printing and encoding machines it is necessary toprovide a rapid and accurate means for registering sheets relative tothe printing mechanism preparatory to a print operation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide mechanismoperable both to drive a sheet both into and away from a print positionthrough a selectively variable path.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a sheet registeringapparatus which is effective to simultaneously drive a sheet in twodirections at the same time to accomplished registration of the sheet.

lt is an additional object of this invention to provide a sheetregistering apparatus which is operable in a single continuous path ofmovement in the sheet feed plane without requiring intermediatepre-registration stops.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a sheetregistering apparatus in which the sheet is confined Within a sheet feedplane at all times during movement to prevent planar distortion 'orbuckling of the sheet.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a sheet driveapparatus in which the driving force is imparted to the sheet at arelatively restricted area both to prevent undue wear and mutilation ofthe sheet, and to provide the maximum area of the sheet feed plane inwhich a sheet may be driven by a pair of driving members concurrently.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a sheet driveapparatus in which the path or" movement is selectively controlled bythe relative speeds of rotation of a pair of drive elements.

it is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus forsheet feeding whereby the direction of sheet travel can be selectivelyvaried to any direction within a sheet feed plane by selectively varyingthe direction of rotation and the speed of rotation of drive members infrictional engagement with the sheet without rotating the sheet aboutitself.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon considcration of the 4following detailedspecification and accompanying drawings wherein is fully disclosed apreferred embodiment of the invention.

ln the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of lthe drive and registering apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation of the drive and registering apparatus;

FIGS. 3-6 are diagrammatic views with parts broken away showing thevarious stages of operation of the drive and registering apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a control schematic showing the manner in which a feed andregistering operation is accomplished;

FIG. 8 is a timing diagram showing the sequence of cam operation;

FIG. 9 is a timing diagram showing the sequence of switch actuation, and

FlGS. IOL-l2 show the physical conguration of the cams which control theoperation of the switches in fthe control schematic of FiG. 7.

With reference to the drawings and initially to FlG. l

"ice

thereof, there is illustrated a sheet registration station. rl'lhe sheetfeed plane is defined by a pair of spaced and parallel guide plates 2dand 22 which may be of a transparent material to afford operatorvisibility at alltimes. Plates 20 and 22 are mounted in a verticalupstanding position on plate 2e which in turn is iixed to base 26. Apair of apertures 28 are provided through each guide plate to admitentry of the drive means into engagement with the sheet as fed. Thedrive means provided are spherical drive members Sii which are opposedby second spherical drive members 32. Each of the drive spheres 3i? ismounted at the end of a shaft 48. Each of the drive spheres 32 ismounted at the end of a shaft 54. As indicated by FIG. l the drivespheres are maintained in opposed tangential contact and in friotionaldriving engagement with the interposed sheet 38 such that :the vector ofa normal component of force perpendicular to the frictional force oninterposed sheet 3? exerted by drive sphere 3? is co-normal, that is tosay collinear but opposite in direction, to the vector of a normalcomponent force exerted by a drive sphere 32 on sheet 3S; and each oneof 'the shafts 32 are skew, or noncoplanar, with respect to each ofshafts 4S.

Each pair `of drive spheres has a common drive means provided therefor.Motor di) provides a rotative drive for drive spheres 3@ through toothedbelt 44 and toothed pulleys 46 iixed to the upper end of shafts 48. Asingle disc clutch 34 of a type well known in the art is provided at theend of each shaft 48. A clutch spring 68 is biased in a state ofcompression on shaft 43. In a like manner motor 42 provides a commonrotation drive ttor drive spheres 32 through toothed belt Sil, toothedpulleys 52 and shafts S4. A single disc clutch 36 with spring 56 islikewise provided at the forward end of each shaft 54. Motors d@ and 42are DC. motors which are readily reversible with change of direction ofthe field current applied, as Well as readily selectively variable inspeed of rotation by change of magnitude of the field current applied.Thus the speed and the direction of rotation of motors 40 and 42, thatis to say the dyad of rotation of motors 40 and 42, are readilyselectively variable. Means for biasing drive spheres 32 intofrictionalengagement with the sheet 3S includes a tensioning spring 6i)which is coupled at its forward end to plate 65. Plate is thus urgedforwardly to maintain drive sphere 32 into yielding rfrictionalengagement with the sheet 38. It is further indicated by FIG. 1 that theshafts 55 `are maintained in parallel relationship to each other but insubstantially misaligned or skew relationship to parallel shafts 48. Aprinter unit 6d is provided which is mounted on base 62 of theregistration station in a iixed position. The printer unit includes aplurality of rotary indexed print Wheels of a type well known in theart.

FIG. 2 further illustrates the manner in which the driver apparatus ismounted relative to the registration and printer station. Motor d!) ismounted on inclined bracket 66 which in turn is fixed to base 26.Journal support 743 provides support for shaft 4S. Also shown in FIG. 2is the support bracket 72 for the mechanism associated with drive sphere32.

FIG. 3 illustrates the stage of oper-ation at which the sheet 33 isdropped manually or driven by associated transport mechanism, not shown,into the registration and print station. Also shown is the edgeregistration member provided for accurate `alignment of the checkrelation to the printer unit 64. For this purpose, registration member'74 is provided with side registration surface 76 and bottomregistration surface 78.

FIG. 4 shows the sheet 3S engaged between the opposing drive spheres Biland 32. The sheet is being driven simultaneously leftwardly anddownwardly. The arrow adozione Y 3 shows the resultant force vectorwhich approximates the direction of travel of the sheet 38.

FIG. 5 shows the sheet in its registered print position. The arrowindicates the rightward direction of travel of the sheet 38 as it isbeing initiated.

FIG. 6 shows the sheet 38 at the right-hand limit of its travel withmovement beirig initiated by the drive spheres 32 in an upwarddirection.

FIG. 7 illustrates the basic control circuit utilized to control therotation of drive motors 4d' and 42. Carnoperated switches i, 3 and oare coupled between the DC. voltage supply and serve to reverseselectively the direction of current through the field of motor it? andconsequently operate to control the direction of rotation of drivespheres 3d. Variable resistors 4i and 47, d3 and 45 are provided -inseries with motors di? and 4t2, respectively. lt should be noted thatthe orientation of shaftsfi which drive spheres 3i? controls thedirection of `drive imparted to the sheet 38. Sheet 33 is drivenleftw-ardly or rightwardly depending on whether the direction ofactuation of the shafts 4S is clockwise or counterclockwise.Cam-operated switches 2, i and 5 are coupled between the D.C. voltagesupply and ground and serve to reverse the direction of current throughmotor 42 and hence control Ithe direction of rotation of driver sphere32. The orientation `of shafts 54 which carry drive spheres 32 controlthe direction of drive imparted to the sheet. Sheet 38 is drivenupwardly or downwardly depending on whether the direction of rotation ofshafts'Sd is clockwise or counterclockwise.

FIG. 8 illustrates the time sequence of operation of the cams C1-6 whichcontrol the opening or transfer of correspondingly numbered switchesST6.

FIG. 9 illustrates the :time sequence of operation of the switches ST6.

FIGS. 10-12 show the physical configuration of cams CFG as mounted oncontrol cam shaft Sti. One revolution of 360 of cam shaft S0 willcontrol one feed, pr-int and eject cycle of the registration and printstation. Since cams C1 and C2 are substantially similar they are shownin FIG. 10. For the samereason, cams C3 and C6 are both illustrated inFIG. 11, and cams C4 and C5 are shown in FIG. l2.

Description of Operation When the document 3 8 is manually dropped ormechanically driven into the registration and feed station, the cycle ofoperation is begun as by energizing a single revolution clutch toinitiate a single counterclockwise rotation of cam shaft S0. Theoperation may be best described with reference to FIGS. 8, 9 and l0.During time t1, normally closed switches S1 `and S2 are held closed bycams C1 'and C2. Switches S3 and S4 have their movable contacts in theraised positions as indicated in FIG. 7.Y The rotation of motor 46serves to drive shafts 4S in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, drivespheres 3i) are driving the document in with a force of translation in aleftward direction. Also during time t1, motor 42 has a rotation whichserves to drive shafts 54 in a a counterclockwise direction. Thus, drivespheres 32 arel driving the document with :a force of translation in adownward direction. The direction of the resultant force vector isindicated by the arrow in FIG. 4. As soon as document 38 is limitedagainst side registration surface 76, the compression of springs 63 willengage clutches 34 to interrupt the drive from shafts liti to drivespheres 36. As soon las document 38 abuts against bottom registrationsurface '73, the compression of springs 56 will engage clutches 36 tointerrupt the drive from Vshafts 54 to drive spheres 32.

During t2, an operation of encoder 64 may be initiated in the usualmanner to accomplish a print or encoding operation. Switches Sl and S2-are opened by cams C1 and rection of motor dit must be reversed. Cam C3transfers the movable contact `of switch S3 to its lower stationarycontact and cam CS closes switch S6 so that the current path to motordit is reversed and the direction of rotation of shafts 48 is reversed.Drive spheres 3i), therefor, commence to drive the document 38rightwardly as shown in the arrow in FiG. 5.

At time t4, normally open switch S5 is closed by cam C5, and cam d movesthe contact of switch Si to its lower stationary contact to complete thecurrent path to motor d?. in a reverse direction. Thus, motor d2 drivesshafts 56 with a clockwise rotation to cause drive spheres 32 to drivethe document in an upward direction as shown by the arrow in PEG. 6. Atthe end of t., it should be also noted that cams C3 and C4 conditionswitches S3 and Si to their starting position and that all the controlcams lhave returned to their original positions after one complete cycleof rotation of control cam shaft 8i?.

While the environment in which the present invention has beenillustra-.ed is simple and straightforward in nature, it will beappreciated that the drive mechanism provided is extremely versatile andreadily adaptable to a great number of variations by one skilled in theart. It will be apparent that the control of the speed of rotation ofhte drive spheres may be varied by a number of control nteans-bothmechanical and .electricalas for example, by varying the field currentofmotors 4d and 42 by means of variable resistors 4i, 43, 45 and 4.7.

What is claimed is:

l. Means for feeding and registering a sheet in two directionscomprising means defining a sheet feed plane and a sheet registrationsurface in the path of each feed irection, an opposed pair of sheetengaging, drive rnerners of circular cross section yieldab-ly biasedagainst each other and located on opposite sides of the sheet feed planein frictional driving engagement with la sheet received therebetween,each of said sheet engaging drive members forming a sheet back-up member-for the other and being mounted :for independent rotation ion yadifferent one of a pair of mutually skew rotational axes to impart atranslatory driving motion in la different one of said feed directionsto the sheet received therebetween, reversible drive means yfor rotatingsaid sheet engaging ldrive lmembers about their axes, and means coupledto and 4controlling the direction of rotation of said drive means.

2. Means forY feeding and registering a sheet in two directioncomprising means defining fa sheet feed plane and a sheet registrationsurface in the path of each feed direction, an opposed pair of sheetengaging drive niembers of circular cross section yieldably ybiasedagainst each other and located on opposite `sides of the sheet feedplane in frictional driving engagement with ia sheet receivedtherebetween, each of said sheet engaging drive members forming a sheetback-up -rnerriber for the other and being mounted for independentrotation on `a different one Vof ia pair of mutually skew rotationaltaxes to impart a translatory driving motion in a different one of Isaidfeed directions to the sheet received therebetween, a pair of reversibledrive means each supplying a separate rotative drive to a `dierent oneof said sheet engaging drive members, and means coupled to andselectively controlling the direction of rotation of each of said drivemeans.

3. Means for feeding and registering a sheet in two directionscomprising means defining a sheet feed plane and a sheet registrationsurface in the path of each feed direction, an opposed pair of sheetengaging drive anem- Ibers of circular cross section yieldably biasedagainst each other `and located on opposite sides of the sheet -feedplane in frictional driving engagement -witha sheet receivedtherebetween, each of said sheet engaging ydrive members forming a sheetback-up member for the other and being mounted for independent rotationon `a different one of a pair of mutually skew axes to impart atranslatory driving motion in a different one of said feed directions tothe sheet received therebetween, a pair of Variable speed drive meanseach supplying a separate rotative drive to a diierent one of said sheetengaging drive members, and speed varying control 4means coupled to andselectively varying the speed of said drive means.

4` Means for feeding and registering a sheet in two directionscomprising means defining a sheet feed plane and a sheet registrationsurface in the path of each feed direction, an opposed pair of sheetengaging drive inem'- bers oi circular cross section yieldably biasedagainst each other and located on opposite sides of the sheet feed planein frictional driving engagement with a sheet received therebetween,each of said sheet engaging drive members forming a sheet back-up memberfor Ithe other yand being mounted for independent rotation on adifferent one of ya pair of mutually skew rotational axes to impart atranslatory driving motion in a different one of said feed directions tothe sheet received therebetween, drive means for rotating said sheetengaging drive members, and la pair of coupling means each coupling `adieren-t one of said sheet engaging drive members to said vdriving meansand responsive to the engagement of the sheet with a diierent one ofsaid registration surfaces for interrupting the rotative drive suppliedfrom said driving means to the sheet engaging drive member driving thesheet against the engaged registration surface.

5. Means for feeding and registering la sheet in two directionscomprising means dening a sheet :feed plane `and `a sheet registrationsurface in the path of each feed direction, an opposed pair of sheetengaging drive members of circular cross section yieldably biasedyagainst each other and located on opposite sides ofthe sheet feed planein frictional driving engagement with a sheet received therebetween,each of said sheet engaging `drive members forming a sheet back-upmember `for the other yand being mounted for independent rotation on adifferent one of a pair of mutually skew rotational yaxes 'to impart atranslatory driving motion in a different one of said directions to thesheet received therebetween, reversible drive means for rotating saidsheet engaging drive members, a pair of coupling means each coupling adifferent one of said sheet engaging drive members to said driving meansand responsive to the engagement of the sheet with a dierent one of saidregistration surfaces `for interrupting the rotative drive supplied fromsaid driving means to the sheet engaging `drive member driving the sheetagainst the engaged registration surface, and means coupled to andcontrolling the direction of rotation of said drive means.

References Sited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS1,429,223 Evans et al Sept. 26, 1922 1,646,652 Luley et al Oct. 25, 19272,767,982 Noon Oct. 23, 1956 2,792,045 lngels May 14, 1957 2,798,565Rosenthal et al. July 9, 1957 2,845,122 Lake et al July 29, 19583,015,486 Weidenharnmer lan. 2, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 376,554 GreatBritain July 14, 1932 661,939 France Mar. 12, 1929

5. MEANS FOR FEEDING AND REGISTERING A SHEET IN TWO DIRECTIONSCOMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A SHEET FEED PLANE AND A SHEET REGISTRATION INTHE PATH OF EACH FEED DIRECTION, AN OPPOSED PAIR OF SHEET ENGAGING DRIVEMEMBERS OF CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION YIELDABLY BIASED AGAINST EACH OTHERAND LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SHEET FEED PLANE IN FRICTIONALDRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH A SHEET RECEIVED THEREBETWEEN, EACH OF SAIDSHEET ENGAGING DRIVE MEMBERS FORMING A SHEET BACK-UP MEMBER FOR THEOTHER AND BEING MOUNTED FOR INDEPENDENT ROTATION ON A DIFFERENT ONE OF APAIR OF MUTUALLY SKEW ROTATIONAL AXES TO IMPART A TRANSLATORY DRIVINGMOTION IN A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID DIRECTIONS TO THE SHEET RECEIVEDTHEREBETWEEN, REVERSIBLE DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHEET ENGAGINGDRIVE MEMBERS, A PAIR OF COUPLING MEANS EACH COUPLING A DIFFERENT ONE OFSAID SHEET ENGAGING DRIVE MEMBERS TO SAID DRIVING MEANS AND RESPONSIVETO THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE SHEET WITH A DIFFERNT ONE OF SAID REGISTRATIIONSURFACES FOR INTERRUPTING THE ROTATIVE DRIVE SUPPLIED FROM SAID DRIVINGMEANS TO THE SHEET ENGAGING DRIVE MEMBER DRIVING THE SHEET AGAINST THEENGAGED REGISTRATION SURFACE, AND MEANS COUPLED TO AND CONTROLLING THEDIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID DRIVE MEANS.